PMID- 33027034
OWN - NLM
STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE
LR  - 20201031
IS  - 1929-0748 (Print)
IS  - 1929-0748 (Electronic)
IS  - 1929-0748 (Linking)
VI  - 9
IP  - 10
DP  - 2020 Oct 26
TI  - Video Consultations for Older Adults With Multimorbidity During the COVID-19 
      Pandemic: Protocol for an Exploratory Qualitative Study.
PG  - e22679
LID - 10.2196/22679 [doi]
LID - e22679
AB  - BACKGROUND: Multimorbidity, the coexistence of multiple chronic conditions in an 
      individual, is a growing public health challenge. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, 
      physical distancing remains an indispensable measure to limit the spread of the 
      virus. This pertains especially to those belonging to high-risk groups, namely 
      older adults with multimorbidity. In-person visits are discouraged for this 
      cohort; hence, there is a need for an alternative form of consultation such as 
      video consultations to continue the provision of care. OBJECTIVE: The potential 
      of video consultations has been explored in several studies. However, the 
      emergence of COVID-19 presents us with an unprecedented opportunity to explore 
      the use of this technological innovation in a time when physical distancing is 
      imperative. This study will evaluate the sustainability of video consultations on 
      a micro-, meso-, and macro-level by assessing the views of patients, physicians, 
      and organizational and national policymakers, respectively. METHODS: The NASSS 
      (nonadoption, abandonment, scale-up, spread, and sustainability) framework was 
      designed as a guide for the development of health care technologies. In this 
      study, the implementation of and experiences related to video consultations will 
      be studied using the NASSS framework. Individual in-depth interviews or focus 
      group discussions will be conducted with participants using the Zoom platform. 
      Data will be analyzed by at least two investigators trained in qualitative 
      methodology, organized thematically, and coded in two phases-an initial phase and 
      a focused selective phase. All disagreements will be resolved by consulting the 
      larger research team until consensus is reached. RESULTS: This study was approved 
      for funding from the Geriatric Education and Research Institute. Ethics approval 
      was obtained from the National Healthcare Group Domain Specific Review Board 
      (reference #2020/00760). Study recruitment commenced in July 2020. The results of 
      the data analysis are expected to be available by the end of the year. 
      CONCLUSIONS: This study aims to evaluate the adoption and sustainability of video 
      consultations for older adults with multimorbidity during the pandemic as well as 
      post COVID-19. The study will yield knowledge that will challenge the current 
      paradigm on how care is being delivered for community-dwelling older adults with 
      multimorbidity. Findings will be shared with administrators in the health care 
      sector in order to enhance the safety and quality of these video consultations to 
      improve patient care for this group of population. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED 
      REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/22679.
CI  - (c)Eng Sing Lee, Poay Sian Sabrina Lee, Evelyn Ai Ling Chew, Gayathri Muthulingam, 
      Hui Li Koh, Shu Yun Tan, Yew Yoong Ding. Originally published in JMIR Research 
      Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 26.10.2020.
FAU - Lee, Eng Sing
AU  - Lee ES
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-4963-535X
AD  - Clinical Research Unit, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, Singapore, 
      Singapore.
FAU - Lee, Poay Sian Sabrina
AU  - Lee PSS
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-4660-514X
AD  - Clinical Research Unit, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, Singapore, 
      Singapore.
FAU - Chew, Evelyn Ai Ling
AU  - Chew EAL
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-3837-2195
AD  - Clinical Research Unit, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, Singapore, 
      Singapore.
FAU - Muthulingam, Gayathri
AU  - Muthulingam G
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-9308-4930
AD  - Clinical Research Unit, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, Singapore, 
      Singapore.
FAU - Koh, Hui Li
AU  - Koh HL
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-9093-7707
AD  - Clinical Research Unit, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, Singapore, 
      Singapore.
FAU - Tan, Shu Yun
AU  - Tan SY
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-0307-9546
AD  - Clinical Research Unit, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, Singapore, 
      Singapore.
FAU - Ding, Yew Yoong
AU  - Ding YY
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-3128-8954
AD  - Geriatric Education and Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore.
AD  - Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20201026
PL  - Canada
TA  - JMIR Res Protoc
JT  - JMIR research protocols
JID - 101599504
PMC - PMC7592461
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - COVID-19
OT  - chronic disease
OT  - elderly
OT  - high risk
OT  - morbidity
OT  - multimorbidity
OT  - older adults
OT  - protocol
OT  - qualitative
OT  - telehealth
OT  - telemedicine
OT  - video consultation
COIS- Conflicts of Interest: None declared.
EDAT- 2020/10/08 06:00
MHDA- 2020/10/08 06:01
PMCR- 2020/10/26
CRDT- 2020/10/07 17:12
PHST- 2020/07/21 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2020/09/29 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2020/09/05 00:00 [revised]
PHST- 2020/10/08 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2020/10/08 06:01 [medline]
PHST- 2020/10/07 17:12 [entrez]
PHST- 2020/10/26 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - v9i10e22679 [pii]
AID - 10.2196/22679 [doi]
PST - epublish
SO  - JMIR Res Protoc. 2020 Oct 26;9(10):e22679. doi: 10.2196/22679.